Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
Bali is easier to travel (3.0 vs 3.4). Biggest gap: language โ Bali 2 vs Lombok 3. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
| Item | Bali | Lombok | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rp 35,000$2.15 | Rp 30,000$1.84 | Lombok โ14% |
| Street food1 item | Rp 20,000$1.23 | Rp 20,000$1.23 | similar |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rp 175,000$10.7 | Rp 150,000$9.2 | Lombok โ14% |
| Coffeeone cup | Rp 40,000$2.45 | Rp 35,000$2.15 | Lombok โ12% |
| Beerone bottle | Rp 40,000$2.45 | Rp 50,000$3.07 | Bali โ20% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rp 120,000$7.36 | Rp 100,000$6.13 | Lombok โ17% |
| Bottled water | Rp 5,000$0.31 | Rp 5,000$0.31 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rp 10,000$0.61 | Rp 6,000$0.37 | Lombok โ40% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rp 35,000$2.15 | Rp 30,000$1.84 | Lombok โ14% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rp 15,000$0.92 | Rp 20,000$1.23 | Bali โ25% |
| Transitone ride | Rp 4,000$0.25 | Rp 5,000$0.31 | Bali โ20% |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rp 75,000$4.6 | Rp 75,000$4.6 | similar |
| Hotel night3-star | Rp 800,000$49.1 | Rp 500,000$30.7 | Lombok โ38% |
| Studio rent (month) | Rp 10,000,000$613 | Rp 5,000,000$307 | Lombok โ50% |
| Laundry | Rp 15,000$0.92 | Rp 15,000$0.92 | similar |
| SIM card1 week data | Rp 150,000$9.2 | Rp 80,000$4.91 | Lombok โ47% |
| Haircutcut | Rp 60,000$3.68 | Rp 40,000$2.45 | Lombok โ33% |
| Massage1 hour | Rp 120,000$7.36 | Rp 120,000$7.36 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | Rp 500,000$30.7 | Rp 300,000$18.4 | Lombok โ40% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rp 75,000$4.6 | Rp 30,000$1.84 | Lombok โ60% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
Lombok is 36% cheaper than Bali. Daily budget $78.6 vs $55.7; a month $2,107 vs $1,218.
Bali is easier: Bali 3.0/5 vs Lombok 3.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bali is about $2,107 and Lombok about $1,218 per month.
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.